topic Re: Aboriginal paintings (?) in Coins, Stamps, Collectables & Antiques

Aboriginal paintings (?)

bmbjosta — Sun, 09 Feb 2014 23:39:19 GMT

Hi,

I picked these two unframed paintings up without any history. They have no signature or writing on them. Is there any way to find out if they are actual aboriginal paintings, versus aboriginal-style paintings? Is there anything in the style/ subject matter/ material used that could be indicative either way? My father thought they may be aboriginal paintings from Arnhem Land but he is not exactly an expert!

Any information at all would be greatly appreciated. Happy to provide extra photos.

Thanks!

Re: Aboriginal paintings (?)

bsal6160 — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 10:39:02 GMT

They look like your typical TOURIST WARE. Authentic paintings would be on bark or similiar. Yours are mosy likely simply painted for the tourist to pay through the nose for a supposedly original aboriginal painting. Genuine or not is difficult to say, do you mean "Were they painted by an aboriginal or screen printed" I would say, could be either.

Look in any store in Darwin and you buy them.

Re: Aboriginal paintings (?)

bmbjosta — Mon, 10 Feb 2014 11:01:43 GMT

Thanks very much for the response- since I got them for free I am not too concerned about value- it wasn't me (or my family/friends) who paid through the nose for them!

They are definitely not screen printed- in person it is very clear they are actual paintings.

By genuine I meant 'were they painted by an aboriginal or were they painted by a non-aboriginal amateur/hobby painter just trying their hand at dot painting'? The larger of the two paintings (which is very large) is rather attractive but the smaller one seems messy to me and was why I considered the amateur/hobby painter theory, though not being at all versed in aboriginal art or symbols maybe I am just not seeing the story it/ they are supposed to represent.

Re: Aboriginal paintings (?)

bmbjosta — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 12:08:14 GMT

Thanks, question resolved.

I took the paintings into my local auction house- I've been going there for years and respect and trust the auctioneer. He told me the paintings were around 15-25 years old, aboriginal, and from the Northern Territory.

He said he personally liked them very much- the colours are bright, a lot of time and effort went into the larger one particularly, and they have recognisable stories/symbols. However, the problem is that since there are no signatures, gallery/auction labels, backstories etc the value is restricted to essentially whatever someone is willing to pay because they like them as pretty pictures to hang up at home.

Re: Aboriginal paintings (?)

siddieswans — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 21:47:37 GMT

Sounds like a very sensible auctioneer to me.